Shinigami Flu
by Amethyst Skulkyrie Cain
Summary: Rukia falls ill, and Byakuya puts Ichigo and Renji in charge of his office for three days so that he can care for her. Romance - not incest, they aren't blood related. Don't like, don't read.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, or sadly, Kuchiki Byakuya, and even more depressingly, Severus Snape, but life goes on :'( **

**Warning: Possible OOCness, but great care has been taken to ensure that this does not happen, so that you few readers can enjoy this fic as much as possible, and leave amazing reviews *hint, hint***

**Read and review : )**

Kuchiki Rukia opened her eyes to sunlight seeping through her curtains. Groaning, she sat up, rubbing her eyes to rid of sleep. As she carried out this task, Rukia noticed her pounding head, and felt sick. Pushing her feelings to the back of her mind, Rukia reached over to the chair beside her bed, and sleepily grabbed her plum purple velvet dressing gown, pulling it on and snuggling into it's warmth, before getting up and slipping on the First Edition Chappy the Rabbit slippers that Ukitake had given her for her birthday fifteen years ago.

Shockingly, (well, for everyone except Rukia, who really didn't care that much) Rukia hadn't gained any weight or grown in height since her birthday in 1996. Not even an inch, or a pound.

Groaning again, Rukia shuffled toward the bedroom door, yawning loudly, her hair a mess. Opening the door, she walked down the corridor toward the kitchen, struggling to not yawn again.

A servant approached Rukia, who had stopped in the kitchen doorway, and looked her up and down disapprovingly.

"Ms Kuchiki, please go back to your room and look presentable for breakfast with the Master. Hey… Ms Kuchiki, are you okay? Ms Kuchiki?"

Rukia started swaying on the spot, clutching her head in one hand, before she lost all colour in her face and her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Darkness closed in, and she felt herself falling, falling, falling…

**Haha! Cliffy : ) **

**This fic will be in a series of short shots.**

**Read and review : )**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I'm so so so sorry for not having updated for such a long time, I'm sorry for letting you all down but I've been really busy with school, exams and work, so I've made this an extra long chapter which I hope makes up for my long absense, also, I've been updating all my other stories so keep an eye out ;)**

**Read and review, p.s. Tender Byakuya :)**

Even though Rukia was falling, she didn't continue to fall for long, for Byakuya had been walking past the kitchen at the exact moment Rukia fainted, and so had caught her just before she had hit the ground. Laying her gently on the floor, he glanced up at the frozen maid.

"Get Captain Ukitake. Now." He glared at the maid until she moved, muttering a hurried "yes, sir, Captain Kuchiki, sir!" before she hurried out the room, screaming for someone to get Captain Ukitake and quickly.

Byakuya turned his attention back to Rukia, moving her hair out of her face with a pale hand with slender fingers. He took her temperature, then picked her up and carried her to her bed, pulling the duvet up around her.

Just as he was going to get the Captain himself, Captain Ukitake burst into the room, walking very fast over to where Byakuya stood and where Rukia lay. He immediately started to ask the maid what had happened to Rukia, calming her down every now and then when she got too panicked.

Once Captain Ukitake had all the information that he needed, Byakuya dismissed the maid.

"What's wrong with Rukia?"

Ukitake chuckled at Byakuya's impatience. "It's just a simple case of Shinigami flu. It'll wear off within a few days, but you might find that her Reiatsu levels are lower than normal for about a week afterwards. Keep her hydrated, makes sure she eats plenty, and make sure she gets plenty of rest," he laid his hand on Byakuya's shoulder, "if you have queries, you know where I am, Captain Kuchiki."

The man in question bowed. "Thank you very much for your time, Captain Ukitake."

"Anytime, Byakuya. I'll see myself out." The two shared a glance. In Byakuya's eyes, there was concern and pain, not for himself, but for his sister. In Ukitake's eyes, there was concern and happiness that Byakuya had finally accepted Rukia as his sister.

He knew that Byakuya's stoic exterior was mainly an act, and that he cared for Rukia more than he would ever let on. And, Captain Ukitake was not ashamed to admit, he hoped that, in time, the two would become more to each other that just 'brother' and 'sister'.

And, with that thought, Captain Ukitake made his way back to his office, all the while planning out Rukia's and Byakuya's wedding. As this was going on, Byakuya had gotten a bowl full of cold water and a cloth, pulling up a chair beside where Rukia's head lay. Slender fingers delicately tipped the flannel into the cold water, and the flannel was squeezed, so that no water remained soaked into the pores.

Then, Byakuya delicately dabbed at Rukia's forehead, hoping to bring her temperature down, even if it was only brought down by a degree. As he nursed her, he allowed his mind to wander, considering what would happen if the two ever pursued a future together. Their children would be beautiful, he decided, and their wedding would be the biggest, grandest affair the entirety of the Soul Society had ever witnessed.

But then... he faltered. _She's my little sister... _

_**Ah, but not by blood.**_

Byakuya inwardly agreed with himself. Not that he'd ever admit to that, of course.

Continuing to dab Rukia's forehead with the cloth, stopping every now to make the flannel cold again, his actions halted momentarily as Rukia's shifted in her sleep, her eyes slowly fluttering open and zoning in on her worried Nii-sama's face.

"Nii-sama."

Byakuya allowed a small smile, which was returned, before standing up, grabbing the bowl and sweeping out of the room.

**Hope that made up for it... expect an update soon... review :)**


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